Fighting Dust #11: DIY Blast Gates pt 1

These gates are “through gates” meaning that the back is completely open. One down side to making gates like this is that there isn’t a stop, the gate pulls all of the way out. I need to add a stop to at least one, for under the table saw, but so far I’m ok with the gates pulling out. I just turn it and stick the corner back in the slot. Works ok for me.

Blast gates are simple to make, or I supposed you could make it as difficult as you like. The hardest part I had was finding “fittings” that I could use to convert from 4” S&D to 4” DC hose and fittings. I think I have a solution that works for me.

Here’s the lasted blast gate “parts.” (Click for larger pictures)

I made some parts that could be assembled in multiple ways, sort of like “mix and match.” I need ways to connect to 4” S&D Pipe, 4” DC Hose and 4” DC fittings in all sorts of configurations. So I made a mix bag of parts to get me started. They are glued up with Poly Glue, I use yellow glue to glue them together.

The gates are made from 1/2” Birch Ply, 3/16 Hard Board for the gates and 1/4 HB for the “spacers” and some scrap hardwood for the handle; walnut in the case.

Far Left: Gates, handles and spacers.

Left: “Soup Can”: My 4” hose fits nicely over a large tin can. This tin can just so happens to be a large can of fruit cocktail to give you a sense of size.

Middle: 4” Plastic Coupling cut in two. This is a coupling that is made to connect two DC fittings together, not the one that used to connect two pieces of hose together.

Right” 4” S&D Pipe Coupling cut in two. The other half is on the first gate that I made.

Here’s the first one that I made assembled and installed:

I’ve since added a handle so that the gate wouldn’t fall through. I was really surprised by how well this thing seals. So much better than those cheap plastic gates that I have been using. Although, the 2-1/2” gates work quite well. I haven’t had any problems with them, yet. The 4 inch’ers total junk. Everyone I have leaks. Sounds like I have a shop full of whistling crickets in the shop when the DC is running. I’m not sure which is louder, the whistling gates or the DC.

Disadvantage: for this blast is that I used a 3” DWV coupling. The coupling is just a touch too large for the hose to “slip” over. I had to use a heat gun to warm up the hose that I could stretch it ever so slightly so that I could slide it on. The only way I can get it off is to apply heat. If you look closely, you can see the hose clamp slid down the hose in pictures 2 and 3. The fitting is so snug, no clamp required but a problem if you want to move the hose…

Advantage: Full port blast gate. If you look down into one of those plastic blast gates, they don’t fully open, the gate slightly obstructs the opening. This one doesn’t have that problem.